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Polish No. 1 Magda Linette will be looking to move past the disappointment of an early exit at Lexington when she steps out on the court for her first match at the 2020 Western & Southern Open.
Linette was playing some of her best tennis at the start of the season, but could not shed the rust quickly enough in her straight sets defeat to an in-form Jennifer Brady last week. The Pole will now fancy her chances of progressing in New York, after being drawn against former World No. 2 Vera Zvonareva.
The 35-year-old Russian has been on a comeback trail, taking small steps in her bid to return to the highest level.
The former Wimbledon finalist has been playing sporadically over the past several months, but has struggled to recreate the magic of her best years on the WTA Tour. Zvonareva played in Lexington, but lost out in a tough three-set opener.
Here in Cincinnati, she has scored a couple of strong wins in the qualifiers and will be hoping to carry forward the same momentum. It will not be easy though, as Linette plays a power-packed game and likes to take control of the rallies right from the start.
Zvonareva will have to find a way around Linette's baseline prowess by trying to mix things up and give the Pole a different look at the ball.
Magda Linette vs Vera Zvonareva head-to-head
Despite having played on tour together for years, the two women never crossed paths on the court. And that makes this meeting an even more intriguing clash.
Both Zvonareva and Linette are very traditional competitors: strong baseline players with good movement. They are exactly in the mold of players that dominated the game in the early to mid-2010s.
That attaches an extra nostalgic appeal to this match, and it will be interesting to see their equation translate on the court.
Magda Linette vs Vera Zvonareva prediction
Magda Linette enters this one as the favorite, and not just because of her superior ranking. The Pole was playing some great tennis before the tour's suspension, and while that might not have shown in her Lexington campaign, she is still a very capable hardcourt player.
Vera Zvonareva has worked hard for her wins this week though, and will not make things easy for her opponent. This could turn into a battle of wills, but Linette is at a definitive advantage.
Prediction: Magda Linette to win in three sets.
Match details
Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2020
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: WTA Premier 5
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $1,950,079
Match timing: 11 am EDT, 8.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN
